Pittsburgh Regional Transit is ending its covid-vaccine requirements for existing and future employees this week after implementing the policy for over a year and a half.
The policy change comes after a protracted battle with the transit-worker union, which opposed the vaccine mandate and filed an unsuccessful injunction and more than 320 grievances on behalf of its workers.
Pittsburgh Regional Transit said before the agency adopted the requirement on Feb. 1, 2022, that seven employees had died of covid — including three after the vaccine was widely available. But since then, no employees have died or been hospitalized because of covid.
The agency said national rates of covid deaths and hospitalizations have declined substantially. Covid cases in Allegheny County have been increasing recently.
Pittsburgh Regional Transit was hit by staffing shortages following the vaccine mandate, and the agency even offered free rides to users during particularly severe periods of service disruptions.
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 85, which represents Pittsburgh Regional Transit workers, celebrated the policy reversal and said that all covid-related disputes between the union and the agency have been resolved.
“While we all share different personal views and individual perspectives regarding issues surrounding covid-19, the leadership of this local is charged with representing the interests of ALL Local 85 members and therefore must act in the interest of the local,” read a letter from ATU Local 85 President Ross Nicotero.
While Pittsburgh Regional Transit said it was able to achieve 98% compliance with the mandate, the policy still resulted in 84 terminations, including 43 operators.
The agency said employees fired over the mandate have the opportunity to return to the job.
Transit advocacy group Pittsburghers for Public Transit, which has been against the vaccine mandate, said it is hopeful all workers will be reinstated as a means to improve service and scheduling problems that have hit the agency.
“Transit workers are heroes. We need to treat them with dignity and we need more,” read a statement from the advocacy group.
